Stafford Borough Council tax set to go up by around 10p a week

A tax rise of 2.99% is being considered by Stafford Borough Council for 2025/26, meaning residents in Band D properties would pay £178.75 a year to the authority.

This is on top of the council tax paid to Staffordshire County Council, precepts towards police and fire services and a precept for areas that have a town or parish council. Stafford Borough Council’s cabinet is due to consider the council tax for next year at its meeting on Thursday (January 23).

Cabinet members will also receive a report on the general fund revenue budget and capital programme for the years up to 2027. The capital programme includes regeneration projects for Stafford town centre, as well as replacement bins for residents.

Council leader Aidan Godfrey said: “We will continue to invest. This year we will transform the entrance and approach to the railway station, therefore improving the first impression for visitors arriving in our town via train.

“We will press on with the ambitious regeneration of the high street, having purchased the derelict former Co-op and the ailing Guildhall Shopping Centre, with work going ahead to make both more attractive for investors and developers to deliver a mix of retail, commercial and residential offer.”

“Whatever the proposals are for local government in the future, our priority will be to continue doing what is best for the residents and businesses in our communities.”

In recent years local authorities have seen increasing pressure on budgets and funding – and in other parts of the country councils are considering tax rises above the level allowed without a local referendum. Cheshire East Council has requested Government permission to increase its council tax by up to 9.99% – well above the 2.99% rise proposed by Stafford Borough Council.

Councillor Ralph Cooke, cabinet member for resources, said: “These are extremely challenging times. But despite no real increase in the money we receive from government we will propose the average property will pay no more than an extra 10p a week to help protect the vital services we deliver to the community.”

A report to Thursday’s cabinet meeting said: “The proposed increase of 2.99% is within the guidelines for district councils as contained in Government policy. Each additional 1% increase in council tax would generate approximately £80,000 a year.

“This report is being delivered in a profoundly uncertain time for local government. Recent central government announcements suggest that their ambition is to change the local government landscape in such a way that only councils with a minimum population of 500,000 exist.

“The council is still operating with a one year financial settlement. Central government has suggested that it will move to multi year settlements but it is unclear what that will look like, particularly taking into account the ambition to remove county councils and district councils and merge other councils to achieve the minimum population size of 500,000.”